Spring seat vibration damper apparatus for use with pressure regulators

Abstract

Spring seat vibration damper apparatus for use with fluid pressure regulators are disclosed. A disclosed apparatus includes a first spring seat of a fluid pressure regulator defining a first protrusion and a second spring seat of the fluid pressure regulator defining a second protrusion. The second protrusion is configured to receive at least a portion of the first protrusion. The first spring seat moves relative to the second spring seat to provide a damping effect between the protrusions.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus comprising:
 a spring seat assembly positionable in a control chamber of a fluid pressure regulator to be fluidly isolated from a fluid flow path defined between an inlet and an outlet of the fluid pressure regulator, the spring seat assembly to provide a biasing force to a diaphragm of the fluid pressure regulator, the biasing force to define a desired output pressure of the fluid pressure regulator, the spring seat assembly to provide a damping effect to dissipate energy during operation of the fluid pressure regulator, the spring seat assembly including: 
 a first spring seat defining a first protrusion; and 
 a second spring seat defining a second protrusion, the second protrusion configured to receive at least a portion of the first protrusion, the first spring seat to move relative to the second spring seat to provide the damping effect between the protrusions. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second protrusion includes a cavity configured to slidably receive at least the portion of the first protrusion. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 2 , further including a seal disposed between a wall of the cavity and the first protrusion to prevent a compressible fluid in the cavity from flowing past the seal. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the second protrusion includes a first orifice to enable a fluid to move through the first orifice as the first spring seat moves relative to the second spring seat. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a magnitude of the damping effect is adjustable. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first protrusion and the second protrusion are cylindrically-shaped. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the cylindrically-shaped protrusions are sized to fit within a coil spring. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein at least the portion of the first cylindrically-shaped protrusion engages the second cylindrically shaped protrusion to align respective longitudinal axes of the first spring seat, the second spring seat, and the coil spring. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the cavity includes a second orifice spaced from the first orifice to enable the first fluid to flow therethrough, the first orifice and the second orifice configured to balance forces imparted on the second protrusion by the first fluid. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the first orifice and the second orifice are positioned on the same axis. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the first orifice has a cross-sectional shape that is tapered. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the spring seat assembly is positioned between a diaphragm plate and an adjusting screw of the fluid pressure regulator. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein a nut of a diaphragm plate interposed between the second spring seat and the diaphragm plate is to engage the second spring seat. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the adjusting screw is to engage the first spring seat and is to adjust the biasing force provided by a spring positioned between the spring seats. 
     
     
       15. An apparatus, comprising:
 a first spring seat; and 
 a second spring seat opposite the first spring seat, the first spring seat and the second spring seat to capture a biasing element positionable in a control chamber of a fluid pressure regulator to be fluidly isolated from a fluid flow path defined between an inlet and an outlet of the fluid regulator, at least a portion of the first spring seat slidably disposed in the second spring seat to form a damping chamber between the spring seats to provide a damping effect in response to the first spring seat moving relative to the second spring seat, the biasing element to provide a biasing force to define a desired output pressure of the pressure regulator, the first spring seat including a first recess to receive an adjustor to vary the desired output pressure of the fluid pressure regulator and the second spring seat including a recess to receive a fastener of a diaphragm plate coupled to a diaphragm of the fluid pressure regulator. 
 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the damping chamber includes a bleed port to enable a compressible fluid to move between an interior of the chamber and an exterior of the chamber to provide a damping effect. 
     
     
       17. The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein a magnitude of the damping effect is adjustable. 
     
     
       18. The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein at least the portion of the first spring seat engages a wall of the chamber to provide a seal between the portion of the first spring seat and the chamber to prevent a compressible fluid from flowing past the seal. 
     
     
       19. The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the seal includes an O-ring. 
     
     
       20. The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein at least the portion of the first spring seat engages the wall of the chamber to fix a longitudinal axis of the first spring seat relative to a longitudinal axis of the second spring seat. 
     
     
       21. The apparatus of  claim 15 , further including a seal positioned between the first spring seat and the second spring seat to prevent a compressible fluid in the damping chamber from flowing past the seal. 
     
     
       22. An apparatus comprising:
 a spring seat assembly positionable in a control chamber of a pressure regulator to be fluidly isolated from a process fluid flow path defined between an inlet and an outlet of the pressure regulator, the spring seat assembly to provide a biasing force to a diaphragm of the pressure regulator to define a desired output pressure of the pressure regulator, the spring seat assembly including:
 a first spring seat; 
 a second spring seat slidably coupled to the second spring seat, the first and second spring seats defining a damping chamber to dampen relative movement between the first and second spring seats, the first spring seat including a first recess to receive an adjusting screw and the second spring seat including a second recess to receive a diaphragm plate nut of a diaphragm plate; and 
 a spring positioned between the spring seats, the first spring seat and the second spring seat to provide a damping effect to dissipate energy during operation of the pressure regulator to at least one of reduce vibration or turbulence induced output pressure fluctuations, oscillations or instabilities. 
 
 
     
     
       23. The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the damping chamber includes a bleed orifice to enable fluid in the damping chamber to flow through the bleed orifice. 
     
     
       24. The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein a parameter of the flow is adjustable. 
     
     
       25. A pressure regulator comprising:
 a bonnet defining a control chamber of the pressure regulator; 
 a valve body coupled to the bonnet, the valve body defining a fluid flow passageway between an inlet and an outlet; 
 a diaphragm positionable between the bonnet and the valve body to fluidly isolate the control chamber and the fluid flow passageway; and 
 a spring seat assembly positionable in the control chamber to provide a biasing force to the diaphragm, the biasing force to define a desired output pressure of the fluid pressure regulator, the spring seat assembly to provide a damping effect to dissipate energy during operation of the fluid pressure regulator, the spring seat assembly including: 
 a first spring seat defining a first protrusion; and 
 a second spring seat defining a second protrusion, the second protrusion configured to receive at least a portion of the first protrusion, the first spring seat to move relative to the second spring seat to provide the damping effect.